Modi government cracks down on UPA-appointed Governors

Source :

Last Updated: Tue, Jun 17, 2014 19:33 hrs

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Joshi
resigned on Tuesday as the Narendra Modi government set in motion
the process of showing the door to those appointed by the
previous UPA regime that includes Kerala Governor Shiela
Dikshit and four more.

The new Government is also working on removal of political
appointees as members in bodies like National Disaster
Management Authority.

The 78-year-old Joshi, a former police service official known
for his proximity to Nehru family, sent his resignation
to Home Ministry, a day after the Centre made known to
some of the Governors that they quit in the wake of change in
government.

Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami is understood to have
called the Governors and conveyed the new Government's desire
that they step down, a move the Congress and CPI-M slammed as
unconstitutional and unethical.

But the BJP leaders felt there was nothing wrong in such a
decision.

Among those who are understood to have been called are
Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, a Congressman from
Kerala, Diskhit, a former Delhi Chief Minister who was
appointed just on the eve of announcement of Lok Sabha polls,
West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan, Nagaland Governor Ashwani
Kumar, a former CBI Director.

Kamla Beniwal, who did not share good relations with Modi
during his tenure as Chief Minister in Gujarat, may also be on
the way out.

Though there was no official word on the whole
development, Home Ministry sources said Joshi's resignation
has been received and has been sent to Prime Minister's Office
for approval.

The tenure of Joshi had expired only a few months ago and
he was sworn in again for another term.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly commented that if
he were in the place of these Governors he would have quit.